Can You Take the Heat?
by Hikaru R. Kudou
Summary: Athrun x Cagalli. 'You're blushing crimson. The weather's really affecting you.'


**Title:** Can You Feel the Heat?

**Author:** Hikaru R. Kudou

**Rating: **G

**Chapter:** 1/1 (in other words, One shot!)

**Pairing: **PrimarilyAthrunxCagalli, with KiraxLacus on the side

**Warnings: **First attempt at _Gundam SEED _fanfiction. 'Nuff said.

**Summary:** They could barely stand the hot weather. If Cagalli could not take the heat, Athrun would find a way. "You're blushing crimson. The weather's really affecting you."

**DISCLAIMER:** Standard disclaimers apply. Had I owned _Gundam SEED_...well, things will be blown out of proportion. Seriously.

Author's Notes: I love this pairing so much, it's a pity _DESTINY_ rather...complicate things for them. Sigh. Anyway, if there's any fic out there that is almost or akin to this one, I apologise profusely. It's purely accidental.

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The weather was unrelentingly hot, and it felt worse than ever, as long as Cagalli could remember.

"Athrun..." she murmured to the one in the driver's seat.

She and Athrun were in the latter's car, parked outside a supermarket. It was one of those few days when Cagalli could escape the hassle of her duties as one of the most important - if not _the_ most important - person in ORB, and run away from the sky high paperwork in her office that needed her looking into, even just for a little while. Athrun had suggested entering town to have some fun together, or just "for a change of scenery". Cagalli had agreed wholeheartedly, hinting that anything they do together would be enjoyable.

They had stopped by the orphanage first, and coincidentally, Kira and Lacus themselves were about to go out. They joined in, and somewhere along the way, Lacus suddenly remembered she needed to get something for the kids. Athrun stopped by the said supermarket, telling both Kira and Lacus that he and Cagalli would wait for them in the car, insisting that he would rather avoid the crowd in the market.

What he did not expect was the weather was getting too hot for them to bear. It had only been five minutes and the dashboard seemed fried.

"Yes?" answered Athrun slowly. He unbuttoned the first few buttons to ease his breathing.

"How long have they been gone?" asked she, fidgeting restlessly. "It feels like it has been ages."

"Five minutes." Athrun squinted his eyes towards the market. "And judging from the number of people in there, I'd say they'll need at least half an hour just to reach the front of the counter. Would you say ORB is overpopulated, Cagalli?"

"No, our population is normal. You saw the report."

Athrun nodded absentmindedly. "It must be the shopping season, then."

"Say, Athrun...?"

"What is it?"

"You did turn on the air-cond, didn't you?"

"Yes."

"So why does it still feel hot?"

Athrun checked. "It's on maximum, but...wait a minute..." He paused in dread when he noticed something was amiss.

Cagalli frowned, "It's not functioning, is it?"

"...I'm afraid not." Athrun managed a smile. "What a way to go."

"Great, just great!" Cagalli folded her arms and legs, and leant back. "We're stuck in this infernal weather, and the air-cond's not helping to alleviate our sufferings!" She groaned and fanned herself furiously with her hand.

"Shall we go out?" asked Athrun, sounding concerned. The dashboard seemed to have changed colour, as if it had gone a higher degree than just being 'fried' or 'sunny side up'. If Athrun did not know any better, he would say it was _roasted_.

Cagalli turned to him, noting his neck and his collarbone. She instinctively gulped. The heat was starting to make her think of indecent things... Cagalli quickly shook her head forcefully to clear her mind. Athrun stared at her, so she laughed nervously and made a move to open the door, "Let's go out."

Athrun locked the car and together they made their way to a bench under a shade. "Better?" asked he.

"A little," answered she frankly. "I'm sweating..."

Athrun handed her his handkerchief. Cagalli rarely brought one for herself; Initially Athrun thought it was weird for a girl to be without it or even tissues, for that matter. He had assumed that it was included in a girl's must-have kit. Somehow, he decided that he would carry two, for their sake. Cagalli thanked him, blushed in embarrassment and wiped her forehead silently. She hoped that Athrun would dismiss that her red face was only due to the heat, and nothing else.

Cagalli suddenly became aware of how dry her throat was feeling. She gulped several times.

As if reading her mind, Athrun muttered, "Oh, no...We didn't have any drinks with us, do we?"

Slightly taken aback, Cagalli shook her head. "No, not even in the car." She wondered if she had gulped a little too loudly, that he (or worse, other people around them!) had heard her.

"We'd better find something to drink, and fast." Athrun scanned around for any nearby cafe. "Your lips can't take the heat, they're almost cracked."

Cagalli was stumped with further embarrassment. She fingered her lips. While it was a sweet of him to notice and wanting to remedy it, his shrewd observation rather disturbed her. If they were alone, she probably would welcome it. She wondered what else he could be thinking of, and what exactly made him extra-receptive of her lips.

One obvious thought struck her immediately; One that would involve an intimate form of physical contact.

Athrun spotted a cafe, and searched his pockets. "I must've left my wallet in the car. I don't have any money on me. How am I going to get you a drink, Cagalli? Unless..."

Their eyes met. Cagalli was seriously thinking that, any moment now, he might just lean towards her to close the gap and, taking her by surprise, allow his–

"You're blushing crimson. The weather's really affecting you."

She ceased the eye-contact abruptly, but she could sense that her heart rate was still higher than normal. She gulped again, this time out of uneasiness. Hopefully Athrun did not suspect anything. Otherwise...Cagalli had no idea how she would react.

Athrun chuckled in amusement, although for precisely what reason, Cagalli did not feel like asking. "Would you let me use your money first?"

Cagalli glowered at him with half-narrowed eyes, not entirely out of anger, "Since when are you so forgetful?" As she looked for her wallet in her bag, she berated herself. Shame on her for thinking of dirty thoughts! And in public too! Athrun would never do such a thing in broad daylight, for everyone else to see. Her imagination needed to know the limits.

Athrun thanked her when she handed the item to him. "I'll return your money as soon as possible."

"There's no need to hurry," she intoned.

"It's not that. I just feel guilty..."

Confused, "Why?"

"The drink's not a problem but the...kiss will have to wait," he whispered, stressing the word after the brief pause, as a mischievous twinkle danced in his eyes.

He took it as his cue to exit when Cagalli blushed again in record time. It went on and on until a worried Lacus tapped her on the shoulder, but only releasing her from the blushing trance partially.

Kira wondered what actually had taken place between the two, that it managed to leave Cagalli speechless and motionless. Somehow, as he spotted his best friend approaching them, drinks in his hands and a smug smile on his face, Kira had a feeling that his suspicions were duly justified. He was also puzzled as to why was Athrun holding Cagalli's wallet when his own was sticking out of his breast pocket...

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End file.
